It's indicative of how overcrowded the medium has become in the age of Peak TV that Bryan Fuller's brilliant adaptation of Neil Gaiman's famous book fell relatively under the radar. Fuller seems destined to create fantastic television that not enough people watch. "Pushing Daisies" and "Hannibal" make every list of the most underrated and criminally-canceled shows of all time. His latest project "American Gods" is on Starz, so it could get more support than his shows have received on ad-driven TV, but you still need to do your part. This is a smart, creative, funny, brilliant TV show, and I'll be writing about it again in my Best of the Year piece. Until then, read this and get your own copy today.

Speaking of the best of the year, the biggest hit of Edgar Wright's career has arrived on Blu-ray shortly after making notable waves on theaters. Wright has been a cult icon for years, a favorite among critics and Comic-Con goers, but "Baby Driver" broke through to another audience, making over $225 million worldwide and counting (it's his first film to break nine figures). Given that, you've probably seen it and are wondering if it holds up on repeat viewing and if the Blu-ray is worth picking up for the special features. YES and YES. It plays better at home than I expected (especially if you have the right sound system), and even allowed my minor criticisms to fade away. It's the kind of movie that people will love showing their friends who haven't had a chance to see it yet.

Broken record here, but this is also one of my favorite films of the year, a brilliant period piece tightly directed by the multi-talented Sofia Coppola. Remaking the Clint Eastwood drama, Coppola shifts focus from the Civil War soldier stuck at a home filled with women to the ladies themselves, directing her great ensemble to uniformly fantastic performances. Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Colin Farrell are phenomenal here, particularly the women in the way they define their characters' conflicting emotions of lust, fear, and jealousy. This is another 2017 movie that I don't feel like enough people saw but that viewers will catch up with on Blu-ray. I hope you love it as much as I do.

The breakout comedy hit of the year ($115 million domestically!) comes home in an extras-packed Blu-ray edition. I'm really happy for everyone involved in this production, including the eternally underrated Regina Hall and the breakout work of Tiffany Haddish. There's also something remarkable about how little credit Malcolm D. Lee has received for delivering reliably entertaining films for years, including "The Best Man" and "Undercover Brother." The guy's talented, and he never gets enough credit. Having said that, there's NO reason for this movie to be almost two hours long, as the trip gets exhausting before it's over. But it's well worth a rental, especially since you can divide it up into at least two chunks.

NBC's comedy has built on its brilliant first season in its sophomore outing, improving to a point where it can safely be called the best show on network TV. Ted Danson and Kristen Bell star in a show that has an undeniably clever premise—Bell plays a woman who ends up in "The Good Place" (i.e., heaven or something similar) but it's really a case of mistaken identity and she doesn't belong there. The writers behind the show have taken that fun idea and run absolutely wild, completely deconstructing not just their own concept but episodic TV in general. You really NEED to be watching the second season, and you won't enjoy it as much if you haven't seen the first. Now you can, but only on DVD (boo ... all great things should be in HD.)

There was a funny kerfuffle on Film Twitter recently when Chance the Rapper went after film critics for the 19% Rotten Tomatoes score given to this this Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler comedy that the brilliant musician apparently loved. What followed was a few positive critical re-assessments of the film, including one by the esteemed Matt Singer. Could "The House" be one of those films that tanked in theaters but somehow finds an audience who loves it on Blu-ray and DVD? Probably not, but decide for yourself.

Special FeaturesThe House: Playing with a Loaded DeckIf You Build The House They Will Come Deleted Scenes Extended/Alternate Scenes Gag Reel Line-O-Rama

"L.A. Confidential"

We don't often cover catalog releases getting yet another Blu-ray edition but I'll make an exception for one of my favorite movies of the '90s, Curtis Hanson's masterful "L.A. Confidential," a film that should have won the Oscar for Best Picture and shows ZERO signs of its 20-year age other than the youthful faces of its stars. "L.A. Confidential" is the kind of great movie that could come out in 1977 or 2017 and make the same waves it made in 1997. It's a classic tale of mystery and corruption with one of the best ensemble performances of its day that completely gets its James Ellroy source material and how to use its L.A. setting. It's one of those movies I find myself returning to every year or two, and I'm surprised every time at its timeless perfection. Oh and this cheaply-priced release includes all of the previously-available, excellent special features.

The Criterion Collection has received some flack this week for announcing that "The Breakfast Club" is being inducted into the exclusive club in January 2018. While I understand the frustration over the decision, it's also the kind of thing that brings in a different kind of Blu-ray buyer to the club and not only helps fund their many restoration and box set projects, it might serve as a cinematic gateway drug. As I said on Twitter, "Today Hughes, Tomorrow Ozu." Before Hughes, most of the questionable Criterion releases have been recent arthouse releases, primarily the ones a part of their professional relationship with IFC. So a few eyebrows were raised at the inclusion of Agnieszka Smoczyńska's "The Lure," a modern fairy tale that played major film festivals and was barely released otherwise. Personally, while I don't like this movie as much as some people, I do love when Criterion digs deep, finding releases that perhaps didn't get enough attention, whether they're from 1956 or 2016. Who knows? Perhaps this will end up being the second-favorite Criterion release for one of those "Breakfast Club" buyers.

Special FeaturesHigh-definition digital master, supervised by director of photography Kuba Kijowski, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-rayNew program about the making of the film, featuring interviews with director Agnieszka Smoczyńska, actors Marta Mazurek and Michalina Olszańska, screenwriter Robert Bolesto, Kijowski, composers Barbara and Zuzanna Wrońskie, sound designer Marcin Lenarczyk, and choreographer Kaya KołodziejczykDeleted scenesAria Diva (2007) and Viva Maria! (2010), two short films by SmoczyńskaTrailerNew English subtitle translationPLUS: An essay by novelist, playwright, and storyteller Angela Lovell

"Othello" (Criterion)

Criterion has been actively expanding their catalog of Orson Welles films over the last few years, featuring must-own editions of "F for Fake" and "Chimes at Midnight." The catalog continues to grow with this release of one of his most controversial films, a passion project that the filmmaker made on a shoestring budget because he was so committed to doing so. It's rarely a film that people point to first as a sign of Welles' mastery, but it's no less essential to understanding his place in cinema history, and Criterion continues to prove their commitment to his filmography by LOADING this release with the kind of special features that make it desirable to cinephiles. Not only have two versions of the film been remastered in 4K digital but the Blu-ray contains "Filming Othello," considered Welles' last completed film, as well as new interviews with experts on the director.

Special FeaturesNew, restored 4K digital transfers of two versions of the film, the 1952 European one and the 1955 U.S. and UK one, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-rayAudio commentary from 1995 featuring filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich and Orson Welles scholar Myron MeiselFilming “Othello,” Welles’s last completed film, a 1979 essay-documentaryReturn to Glennascaul, a 1953 short film made by actors Micheál MacLiammóir and Hilton Edwards during a hiatus from shooting OthelloNew interview with Welles biographer Simon CallowSouvenirs d’“Othello,” a 1995 documentary about actor Suzanne Cloutier by François GirardNew interview with Welles scholar François Thomas on the two versionsNew interview with Ayanna Thompson, author of Passing Strange: Shakespeare, Race, and Contemporary AmericaInterview from 2014 with scholar Joseph McBridePLUS: An essay by film critic Geoffrey O’Brien

Advertisement

"Step"

I walked out of "Step" this summer thinking that I had seen the inevitable Oscar winner for Best Documentary. It's not that this heartwarming film would be my personal choice but that it's the kind of inspirational flick that the Academy seems to embrace lately. The film surprisingly kind of came and went without much fanfare, but I could see it rallying during awards season and fulfilling my prediction. It's an undeniably moving tale of empowerment and survival for a group of young ladies who have to struggle to overcome the cards dealt them by society. It features some of the most memorable documentary subjects of the year, and if you're not moved by their powerful performances, you're just pretty immovable overall.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Enter Your Email Address

Advertisement

The Ebert Club is our hand-picked selection of content for Ebert fans. You will receive a weekly newsletter full of movie-related tidbits, articles, trailers, even the occasional streamable movie. Club members also get access to our members-only section on RogerEbert.com